You could reasonably bet that nearly any of the main
centers focusing on the Dudjom Tersar lineage
would have ngapas in their midst, especially
among the senior disciples and lamas. Look
for those places where the full lineage transmission
is being practiced.

I'll just say this and leave it alone. I met him when he first came to America as well. He spoke very little English, but made up for it in enthusiasm to try and communicate. More recently, he's been in my home -- and here some 20 dharma friends pelted him with questions. It was a "stump the khenpo"...

The ear rings and such are called Heruka costume. You're also supposed to carry a mala at all (on your person) times and if you're a vajrakilaya practitioner, your phurba. Lots of other things too-- like a tent. Many people with these commitments carry a tsakli a small picture of them these ornaments.

It is a great blessing to the environment and household.
As long as they are told to place it appropriately, its fine.
It could be understood as feng shui.
It will definitely encourage harmony and prosperity.
I gave one as a wedding gift once.

Well the Sutras mention quite a lots of "Hindu" (or proto Hindu) deities. Certainly there are astrological deities. Kyabjuk (Vishnu), Lha Chen (Siva) Tsogdak (Ganesh) are all pretty prominent. I know of one dedication prayer with uses the Life of Rama as literary reference and metaphor for victory o...

So I have a simple question, without agenda... You said: "There's a subtle doubt as to my experience. Maybe I should have said I 'struggled' for 20 years with HYT practice. I suspect my initial interpretation of what meditation was/is was never matched by its practices." So I wonder, were you taught...

I'd like to add just a little anecdote that might he helpful to one or two people who maybe haven't done much long solitary retreat. One of the first things I did after a four month solitary retreat focusing on a specific deity yoga, was "sit" wit a friend. Now, for background: with nothing else and...

Thank you, Jeff. I can say you are on the right track. Meditation, as you have it in translation "familiarization" --Gom in Tibetan-- more basically means 'getting used to'. And what we are familiarizing ourselves with on the paths of meditation, sutra, tantra or dzogchen is the Nature of Mind. Ulti...

And frankly, at a sutrayana level, purely in the Gelugpa system. What do you think debate is? Monks and nuns in that tradition debate as a practice -- 8, 10 or more hours a day. Analytic meditation-- It's a kind of vipassana. Practice for 20 years in the Gelugpa system would involve a lot of memoriz...

At this point, I might share something I got from my Root Lama. I had this idea about silent sitting too, at an early stage. Although I could feel the power of the chanting and visualization liturgy-- especially in group setting. I certainly relished the quiet parts when silent mantra accumulation w...

The main thing about the dichotomy involving the nine vehicle schema and that of the sarma is distinguishing exactly what the vehicles are. Nyingmapas do not merge or conflate vajrayana into mahayana. You don't hear there lam-rim style presentation that, for example, mahayoga is a special technique ...

So, therefore, returning to Malcom's statement, I believe it is summed up here: "I never said it wasn't beneficial to listen to recordings of people chanting sūtras." If people get some benefit, then I'm for all it. Likewise, my teachers support people getting whatever benefits they can. And, in my ...

One attempt. I have often thought it would be amazing if some composer expressed traditional Tibetan liturgy in a very elegant western classical form something along the lines of Mozart's Requiem. Its maybe not well known, but Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche was very fond of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess ...

The thing is, you may well find yourself with several commitments and little time. You may well find yourself in a dilemma. The good news is, the samayas are easy to damage but hard to break. And we have special methods to correct "errors and omissions" -- you've heard maybe of E & O insurance? The ...

Lama Pema Dorje does travel to Europe, and is accessible.
You can email his wife. And Lopon Orgyen certainly visits your
area often. I trust you have the resources you need. You will
be successful in this lineage.

It is not all that unusual to practice Vajrakilaya
simultaneously with ngondro. DD is sometimes
given early or near the beginning. And the same
is true for Throma. Although there is a general
structure, most practitioners will not be entering
three year retreat, so individual path is specific.

Keep on counting. Once you have completed this concise ngondro, which is complete in itself, you may at your discretion, and or advice of your Lama, do it again. But, there are options-- you might choose to do the more extensive "middle length" ngondro, the sa ter ngondro. Or, there's also the very ...